i've moved...

THIS BLOG HAS A NEW HOME: THESTYLECRUSADER.ORG

wild thing...

For full post hop on over to the new and improved blog.... officially launching in all it's glory (along with some very special giveaways) later this week.

Roxy Mahiki swimwear launch...

Last night I attended the Roxy launch of their Mahiki swimwear line at the company's flagship store on Regents Street. The windows were filled with live models posing for tourists and passersby and the top floor of the shop was jammed full of people drinking exotic cocktails courtesy of Mahiki club. The collaboration couldn't feel more natural as Roxy's laid back surfer aesthetic blends perfectly with Mahiki's Polynesian influence. Personally. I haven't worn Roxy since I was sixteen. They are based in Huntington Beach, California... which ranks third on my list of favourite so-cal beaches, after Laguna and Newport. But nevertheless, the collaboration is pretty spot on. It's being sold exclusively in London and features Mahiki's iconic tiki emblem, setting it apart from the mainline swimwear collection. Even though bandeau shaped bikini tops tend not to suit me it's a perfect shape for teenage girls and I wouldn't even mind Mr. Crusader sporting the boardshorts, which are an updated take on the American surfer classic which tends to fall below the knee and be a bit baggier. Plus, I'd say fifty quid isn't bad for a limited edition swimsuit inspired by one of London's iconic hotspots.

English tea party...

Wound up stranded at a bus stop in the middle of the English countryside on Saturday afternoon with Emerald after going to a beautiful tea party. Heavy fringe, geeky glasses, and polkadots are a winning combination.

p.s. check out a sneak peek of my new blog here. there are still some kinks to work out but just wanted to give you a heads up - think i am going to lose my current bloglovin/blogger followers so show a girl some love and re-follow me please. oh, and if you notice anything funky on it feel free to let me know.

a new love...

Just when I thought I had found my favourite summer item (denim cut offs) something totally unexpected came along... this long black stretchy Monki skirt. I picked it up in Stockholm thinking I would wear it in the Autumn and then decided to try it out the other day. It is absolute and total heaven and seriously the only thing I want to wear at the moment. Especially on this weekend - which is the hottest England has seen this year.

Wearing: Monki black skirt, orange bra, and fringed bracelet. American Apparel grey vest, Rainbow flip flops, Rayban aviators and the HAUTE bag gifted from One Language.

things aren't what they seem...

I was a little surprised to spot this girl, who couldn't have been older than 21, rocking these overtly sexy garters in the middle of the day in a posh area of London yesterday. When I say posh I mean it. I even walked past Margaret Thatcher, who was accompanied by 7 bodyguards, a personal assistant, one Jag, and a Range Rover, being escorted into a hair salon. Anyway, regardless of the part of town, this was a first time trend spot for me. Sure Taylor Momsen went a bit mental for them a couple months ago and Henry Holland made a tamer version by incorporating the look into real tights (you know, the kind that actually cover your behind) but I hadn't seen anyone wearing them in real life. This girl is young, pretty, tall, a bit lanky... all making her lean a bit more towards the model side than a sexy burlesque dancer. She looks a bit quirky and ironic - somehow reminding me of something Agyness Deyn might wear. As far as garter tights go she is probably pulling them off in the most day appropriate way... but I just couldn't help but think that if I had a daughter and she left the house wearing them I would chop her head off.

passaggi rosso...

Italian fashion students Francesca and Angelica outside the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

gladitorial confusion...

I picked up these Cut Out Shoes from Weekday while in Stockholm. I think I like them but something makes feels a bit unsure... Hmm? What's that you say? Why did I buy them then? Well, I do like the whole lace up black sandal look (seen at both Asos and Acne) and I do think they are pretty cool. It seemed everyone in Sweden was wearing a variation of these sandals and, what can I say, sometimes I'm a total sucker for a trend. Plus, they were 50% off. But whatever the reason for buying them, they are mine now and surely I should give them a chance. Maybe they just need to be worn in a little bit.

p.s. the feet in the photo belong to daniella.

arm me in it...

It's no secret: Acne freaking rocks.

Let's be honest though, there is a lot of hype around the brand. Looking at their website can, at times, be a bit disheartening. Is all the hype really worth it? The prices are pretty high, a lot of the pieces are rather simple and aren't too dissimilar to what you might find in whole host of other shops. My Acne obsession, which has been festering for years, has recently started to wane. All I own by the brand is one pair of jeans. This isn't for lack of desire, I've been drooling over the Atacoma Wedges (which I happened to spot in their sale but sadly not in my size) for months. When I walked into their shop in Stockholm last week I was reminded of why the brand produces such covetable items and such a massive hype: quality. Not only is it a totally cool Swedish brand but its pieces really are little bits of treasure. I found myself running my fingers over the items hanging from the rails. Everything just felt beautifully soft. The fringed jacket I tried on fit perfectly and was cut like a dream. I spotted the most gorgeous sheepskin jacket (pictured above) that instantly shot to the top of my wish list. If only I had a few thousand pounds to blow on a new Autumn/Winter jacket... I swear, it would never leave my body. Then there were the armour plated jeans... a mere 1 grand, but surely worth it to channel the inner persona of a knight? Followed up by the Admire wedges in all their sci-fi leather strappy glory. Yep, that's right. Acne rocks. It might just require actually going into their shop to be reminded of why. Luckily, their flagship store is going to be opening in our very own London town...

fringed eye candy...

Recently a serious love affair has sprouted between me and fringe. When I spotted this jacket in the Acne sale in Stockholm I knew there was no way I could afford it but I slipped it on anyway... it felt like an absolute dream to wear. Now, I'm haunted by this photo... if only I had 350 quid to fuel my fringed obsession. One day.